VIJAYAWADA: Water Resources Minister Nimmala Rama Naidu on Thursday announced that Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will undertake a tour of North Andhra districts this month to review and expedite the completion of long-pending irrigation projects.
The announcement came after a high-level review meeting held at the Amaravati Secretariat with senior officials and executing agencies.
The Minister revealed that the coalition government, since assuming office, has placed special emphasis on North Andhra’s irrigation infrastructure. “In the coming two years, over Rs 2,000 crore will be spent to complete key projects,” he stated, highlighting the Chief Minister’s directive to prepare a time-bound action plan.
Slamming the previous YSRCP regime, Rama Naidu said that not a single rupee was spent on North Andhra irrigation projects during its five-year tenure (2019-2024). Even the ambitious Uttarandhra Sujala Sravanthi initiative launched by Chandrababu Naidu during the 2014-19 TDP government was deliberately stalled, he alleged.
The Minister said the nine priority projects that have been identified for immediate completion are BRR Vamsadhara, Thotapalli, Vamsadhara-Nagavali Link, Janjavathi Reservoir, Hiramandalam Lift, Nagavali-Champavati, Mahendra Tanaya, Tarakarama Theertha Sagaram, and Maddulavalasa Reservoir.
Special focus will also be given to rehabilitation & resettlement (R&R) works and remaining pending components.
Upon completion, these projects will bring 1.24 lakh acres of new ayacut under irrigation while stabilizing another 2.48 lakh acres, totaling 3.72 lakh acres of assured water supply. “Our goal is to deliver maximum irrigation coverage at minimum cost, especially in drought-prone areas,” the Minister emphasised.
The review meeting was attended by Water Resources Advisor M Venkateswara Rao, Chief Engineers, Superintending Engineers, Executive Engineers of North Andhra projects, senior officials, and others.